Rice sheath rot, caused by Sarocladium oryzae, is a devastating disease threatening rice production worldwide, with yield losses ranging from 9.6 per cent to 85 per cent. Conventional reliance on synthetic fungicides has raised concerns about environmental sustainability and health safety, prompting the exploration of eco-friendly alternatives. This study investigates the in vitro efficacy of native antagonistic bio-agents, specifically Trichoderma spp. and Pseudomonas spp., against Sarocladium oryzae. Rhizospheric soil samples were collected to isolate and identify bio-agents, which were then tested using the dual culture method. Results revealed significant pathogen inhibition, with Trichoderma isolate Tr-1 achieving the highest inhibition rate (76.72%) among the Trichoderma isolates and in Pseudomonas isolates Ps-1 (61.21%) showed the significant inhibition. These findings highlight the potential of native bio-agents as sustainable, environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical fungicides, offering a promising strategy for integrated disease management in rice cultivation and advancing organic farming practices.
kumar et al. (Wed,) studied this question.